There is shown in FIGS. 1A-C various views of an exemplary illustrative digital camera 10 that shows or illustrates some features typically provided with such cameras. It should be recognized the location and disposition of such features or elements of the digital camera 10 are illustrative as is well known to those skilled in the art. Such a digital camera 10 typically includes the optics and circuitry (not shown) as is known in the art for receiving an optical image, digitizing the image and storing the digitized image therein.
The illustrated digital camera 10 includes a lens 12 or lens assembly and a lens cover 14 that is configured and arranged so as to be moveably disposed between a closed and open position. In the closed position the lens cover 14 is located so as to cover the lens 12 and in the open position the lens cover is moved laterally so the lens is exposed for picture taking. The lens 12 and lens cover 14 are any of a number of devices and mechanisms known to those skilled in the art and thus are not further described herein.
The illustrative digital camera 10 also includes a button 16 that is provided to function as the shutter release whereby a picture is taken. As with SLR types of cameras, a user typically composes the scene or picture in the optical view finder 18 and then fully depresses the shutter release button 16 so as to “take” the picture. Alternatively, the scene or picture can be composed in the LCD monitor or display 20. In addition to displaying the scene or picture being composed, the LCD display 20 also receives signals so as to display any of a number of icons or information such as date and time. The camera 10 also can include a switch 24 so the LCD display 20 is switchable between for example an ON, OFF or PLAY condition. The digital camera 10 also typically includes another LCD, a control panel 22 that displays any of a number of icons or information generally involving the use of the camera, for example, the resolution, number of pictures, battery status and the like.
As is known to those skilled in the art, the light comprising the scene or picture to be taken is manipulated so that it is incident upon a electronic image sensor (e.g., a CCD solid state imaging device). The electronic image sensor outputs a multiplicity of signals that correspond to the image being sensed. These output signals are digitized and stored in a memory internal to the camera and thus comprise the picture or scene taken by user. The numbers of signals that are outputted for a given picture are dependent upon a number of factors such as the number of pixels comprising the image sensor and the desired picture resolution.
Now referring also to FIG. 2. after pictures are taken using the digital camera 10, the user plugs one end of an interconnecting computer cable 30 into a terminal or port 32 in the camera and the other end in a port, terminal or other connection of the computer 40. With some cameras, the lens cover 14 also is slid back or located in the closed position when downloading images. A software application program(s) is/are installed on the computer 40 for execution on the processor thereof. The software causes the stored digital data to be downloaded from the camera 10 to the computer 40 and stored in the computer storage medium (e.g., hard drive). The software also allows the images to be manipulated further (e.g., cropping), if desired, and printed out. After the digitized image data is downloaded, the data is expunged from the built-in memory of the camera 10 so additional pictures can be taken.
When downloading digitized data the user also can interconnect the cable of an AC/DC power adapter (not shown) to the power terminal 34 of the camera 10 so that the camera is not relying on the limited power being provided by the batteries that typically power such cameras. The AC/DC adapter also can be used, when possible, during picture taking to extend the life of the battery power supply.
Because of the limited storage capacity for digitized images in digital cameras, the software comprising the camera 10 also is typically configured and arranged to allow the user to view each image or picture taken and to delete it from the memory when the image is not acceptable. In such cases the user would view the image using the LCD monitor or display 20 and if the image is not acceptable, the shutter release button 16 was adapted to delete the digitized information when the button is fully depressed. The digital camera 10 typically includes other switches, buttons or mechanism for accomplishing such reconfiguring of the camera to perform these and other functions.
As indicated the digital camera 10 typically has a limited storage capacity (e.g., 8 Mb). The built in memory of a typically digital camera is sized so as to be capable to store a predetermined number of pictures of the highest picture quality typically on the same order as the number of pictures that can be taken by a normally sized roll of 35 mm film (for example 20-30 pictures). In the case of early versions of digital cameras, once the built-in memory was filled, the user could not take any more pictures. Consequently, the manufactures of early digital cameras recommended that the user download the pictures taken to a personal computer as soon as possible and that pictures be erased from the camera on a regular basis.
Because of the limitations imposed on the number of pictures with the highest quality resolution that could be taken using a digital camera, various methods, schemes, techniques and devices have been developed in an attempt to overcome or compensate for this limitation. One technique that has found some acceptance is the use of a plug-in memory module. In this method a user purchases one or more memory modules of a predetermined storage capacity. The plug-in module is plugged into the camera and pictures are taken. When this module is filled, another is inserted and the process is repeated as and when needed. Thereafter the information stored on the individual memory modules is downloaded to the personal computer 40.
In another technique, the digital camera is configured with a built-in cellular telephone or configured to interface with one so that the digitized image data in the memory of the camera can be transmitted to a personal computer. One or more forms of such a technique art found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,122,526; 6,104,430; 6,038,295; 5,917,542 and 5,806,005. Such a technique also is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,037 which describes a combined electronic silver-halide image capture system. These systems are premised on the capability of the communications device being able to download the digitized image data with enough frequency that the limited storage capacity of the image device capturing the image would not be a problem. Such systems are necessarily limited by the extent of signal coverage provided by the transmission or cellular telephone system as well as the ability of such systems to handle such data transmissions. Such techniques also necessarily increase the cost and size of digital camera and/or the need for specialized components for such cameras.
In addition to still digital cameras, the art has been advancing to include digital camcorders, that also have still picture taking capability. These digital camcorders like their still picture brethren have limited storage capacity and thus are subject to similar limitations as those described above for the still picture digital cameras.
Thus, there continues to be a need to improve upon the capability of storing digitized image data as well as the capability for remotely transmitting such data while at the same time not increasing the complexity and cost of the device (e.g., digital camera) capturing the images. It thus would be desirable to provide a device that allows a user to easily download digitized image data from the camera to the device including systems and methods related thereto. It would be particularly desirable to provide such a device that would allow the digitized image data to be transmitted from the device to a remote location, more specifically transmitted without requiring the actions of the user. It also would be desirable to provide such a device that would be adaptable to download digitized image data using any of a number of known communication protocols or techniques. Such a digitized data downloading and transmitting device preferably would be simple in construction and would not require highly skilled users to utilize the device.